Effect of Freezing, Additives, and Packaging Techniques on the Quality of Processed Blue Crab Meat

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to study the effect of freezing technique on quality of Blue crab meat. Freshly processed crabmeat was used as a control. The treatments were evaluated by a trained sensory panel and analyses for trimethyl amine (TMA), total volatile base (TVB), and pH. The first experiment involved comparisons of crabmeat pre-treated with malic acid vs. phosphate, can vs. vacuum packaging in plastic pouches and storage at −18 and −30 C for 8 months. The results indicated that freezing and storing of crabmeat in a conventional air-circulating freezer (−18 C) significantly reduced the quality (aroma, flavor, texture, appearance) when compared to fresh crabmeat. Even when stored at −30 C, the quality was substantially lower than that of fresh crabmeat after 1½ months of storage. The two packaging methods and application of malic acid or phosphates did not prevent quality deterioration. A second experiment included a similar design except that the effect of freezing crabmeat with dichlorodifluoromethane (“Freon” Food Freezant) was compared with conventional freezing. The same packaging method was used but the additives were omitted. Freezing with “Freon” for 1½ month caused no significant difference in meat quality when compared with fresh crabmeat (stored 0 days) but quality of the frozen crabmeat decreased significantly after 1½ months. Storage at −18 C was unsatisfactory for both freezing methods. TMA, TVB, and pH analyses were not of major value in assessing the quality of the fresh or frozen crabmeat.